The Athletic have Raiders going CB in their final NFL mock draft
The Athletic has the Las Vegas Raiders going defense in the first round of Thursday’s NFL Draft.
Heading into the NFL Draft on Thursday, the Las Vegas Raiders must find solutions to key position needs.
Arguably the most pressing need is cornerback. As things stand, Nate Hobbs is the only corner on the roster who’s shown he can be a viable full-time starter. He’s best off at nickelback, and he struggled last season when he played on the outside more frequently. So, the Raiders would be doing themselves an injustice if they don’t add a couple of outside corners in the NFL Draft.
Insert the Raiders' final mock draft on The Athletic, where their beat writers predict Las Vegas will add Oregon cornerback Christian Gonzalez.
Tashan Reed, the beat writer who broke down why the Raiders would go to Gonzalez, offered keen insight into exactly why the team would make that choice.
Take a look at what Reed said:
"The Raiders fielded a call from the Titans about trading down to No. 11, but a deal ultimately didn’t materialize," Reed wrote. "Instead, they stayed put and took the best defensive player available. Gonzalez has ideal size at 6-foot-2 and 197 pounds, ran a 4.38-second 40-yard dash, has explosive athleticism, displayed inside-outside versatility, has experience playing various man and zone coverages, is a willing tackler, and has refined fundamentals. He’ll be a Year 1 starter and has plenty of upside at just 20 years old."
If the Raiders walk away from pick No. 7 with Gonzalez, it will be a viable pick because he is someone who can help the Raiders nearly day one.
After finishing 6-11 last season, Las Vegas is trying to avoid the same disappointment, and part of fixing those issues is improving the secondary. Gonzalez would be a player that directly does that for the organization.
